Five New Year’s Fundraising Resolutions to Make (and Keep) in 2022
Farewell, 2021, and welcome the new year, 2022! The start of a new year is a great time to help your organization set the stage for months to come. So here are five fundamental fundraising resolutions you should make this year.
Make SMART Fundraising Goals
A lot of resolutions fail because they are not the right resolutions. Either the fundraising plan is not realistic or too vague. Your fundraising plan should follow the SMART method. It should be Specific (How much do you need to fundraise that is sensible?), Measurable (How will you track your progress?), Attainable (What are the achievable steps it will take to get there?), Relevant (What are appropriate resources that will help you achieve that result?), and Time-bound (What is the timeline your team can commit to getting it done?). Follow the SMART method, and you’ll be set for success.
Share Meaningful Donor-Centric Stories
Giving support should be a positive and inspiring experience for everyone. Does your acknowledgment or appeal letter make your donors feel great about their gifts? It should. All you have to do is show your donors how essential they are to your organization’s mission. An effective story triggers an emotional response, but keep it simple, relational, and focused on a particular project or initiative. Your donors will love and appreciate a good story on how they’ve made an impact.
Commit to Donor Retention Through Stewardship
When a donor makes any type of donation, be sure to thank them within 24 to 48 hours. Send them an email, a card, or give them a call to let them know how much you appreciate their support. Additionally, anyone else could be a potential donor, so respond to social media posts and emails as soon as possible. Finally, if you’re not sure what to say, check out three simple components for crafting a highly personalized and meaningful message in a past blog.
Motivate and Appreciate Your Team
Fundraising should be a fun and rewarding experience for you and your team, especially your board members and volunteers. Take the time to get to know your board members and volunteers. Find out why they’ve joined the mission. Build a thoughtful and engaging relationship with them. They do more than just provide their time and resources; they also cultivate new donors for your organization. Every act of appreciation for their support goes a long way.
Express Gratitude More Often
The pandemic has been rough on virtually everyone. People are struggling and experiencing difficult emotions such as stress or isolation. Expressing gratitude and showing kindness helps people feel more positive emotions. Also, being grateful helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals. Even if some individuals cannot make a gift at this time, saying “thank you” more often may help motivate them to connect with and support your mission in a different way. They might volunteer their time or tell their friends about your organization. However, research shows that expressing gratitude facilitates more helpful behavior and benefits your health. So, do not hesitate to trigger everyone’s dopamine release by expressing gratitude more often.
Do you have any of these tips on your to-do list for 2022? If not, don’t fret! There’s still time to add fundraising resolutions to your list. Schedule a 30-minute chat with Spark Group Consulting, and we’ll help kickstart your fundraising goals.
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